Poultry coop



1942- w. H. CRAMER 2,293,383

POULTRY COOP Filed April 11, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l WZZ. firmer? IN'V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Aug. 18,1942. w CRAMER v 2,293,383

POULTRY COOP Filed April 11, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

W. H. CRAMER POULTRY COOP Aug. 18, 1942.

Filed April 11, 1940 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 71. 11. C'i'di/ZZF INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 18, 1942 UNITED STATES tTENT OFFICE.

POULTRY COOP- William H. Cramer, Garnett, Kiti'ls.

Application April 11, 1940, Serial No. 329,165

1 Claim.

This invention relates to poultry coops, one of the objects being to provide a coop which can be handled readily, and is formed of readily assembled units each of which can be readilyinade and possesses more than ordinary strength.

A further object is to provide the coop with a closure having improved means for holding it detachably in closed position, said closure being removable readily.

A still further object is to provide a coop the sides and ends of which are formedwith open spaces through which the poultry cannot escape but through which containers holding water can be inserted easily,

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter morefully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed;

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings 7 Figure 1 is a top plan View of a poultry crate embodying thep'resfit improvements.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof, a portion being broken away.

Figure 3 is an end elevation, parts being in section.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on line 4-'-4, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged, section on line 5 5, Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an. enlarged section on line 6-6, Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section on line 'l--'l, Figure 2.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, l and 2 designate the end and side strips respectively of the bottom portion of the coop, these strips being joined at their ends to the lower ends of corner posts 3 while bottom boards 4 are attached to the strips and constitute a floor for the coop.

Intermediate posts 5 are attached to and extend upwardly from the respective end strips 1 and serve to connect said end strips to intermediate rails 6 and top rails 1 these rails also being attached to the corner posts 3.

Interposed between the rails 6 and 1 is a strip of wire fabric made up of vertical wires 8 having parallel upper and lower wires 9 and in joined thereto by Welding. with solder, or in any other suitable manner. The lower ends of the wires 8 are extended through bores II in the intermediate rails 6 while the upper ends of wires 8 are extended through bores l2 in the top rails I. It is intended to insert the ends of the wires into the bores'in the respective rails 6 and 1 and when these rails are brought into contact with the wires $3 and it] which thus limit the movement of the rails toward each other, the ends of the wires 8 are clinched as shown at l3, thereby holding the rails securely assembled with the fabric and with each other. In the operation of assembling the parts the spaced wires 9' and it] constitute gauges for insuring proper positioning of the rails 6 and 1 relative to each other;

The coop includes two end units each of which is made up of the strip I, rails 6 and I, corner post 3, intermediate posts 5, and the connecting wires. In addition thereto there are provided two side units.

As shown particularly in Figure 2, each side unitcomprises end posts M which are attached to and extend upwardly from strip 2 and are adapted, when the coop is assembled, to abut against the posts 3 of the end units. These end posts M'connec't strip 2 to a top rail [5 and an intermediate rail l6 andthese rails are joined by a strip of wire fabric-including stiff vertical wires I! the ends of which are extended through bores l8 in the rails l5 and I6. Spaced parallel wires l9 are welded or otherwise fixedly joined to the wires I1 and are adapted to extend along the,

rails l5 and I6. These wires l9 constitute abutments for the rails when the ends of the wires I! are inserted into the bores I8. When the rails are brought firmly against the wires I9, the ends of the wires [1 are clinched onto the rails as shown at 20, thereby holding the parts properly assembled. g

A partition is preferably placed in the coop at the center thereof so as to extend transversely. This partition includes a frame 2| having a, wire fabric 22 fastened thereto.

The top of the coop is formed of two panels extending longitudinally thereof and spaced apart. Each panel includes longitudinal strips 23 connected by a strip of wire fabric 24. These panelsare so proportioned that the ends of strips 23 can be nailed down onto the upper ends of the posts 3 and 5.

The space provided between the panels and extending lengthwise of the coop constitutes the openin through which the poultry can be inserted into or removed from'the coop. This space normally is closed by a strip 25 preferably of wood which extends throughout the length of the crate and is adapted to be removably mounted on the top of the frame 2i and also on the top rails l of the end units. For the purpose of holding the closure strip in place, stiff wires are bent substantially in a U-shape to form parallel legs 26 which are inserted downwardly through bores formed in the rails 6 and 'l. The uppermost portion of the wire provides a fiat loop 21, the wire being offset at the base of the loop as shown at 28, so as to rest on the rail 1 when the lower ends of the legs of the wire are clinched as shown at 29. Each loop 27 is wider than the strip 25 and provides a clearance sufficientl large to permit convenient insertion of the strip into the loop. That portion of the closure strip 25 located above the partition frame 21 has a notch 30 in one side thereof and a retaining wire 3| in the form of a broad flat staple is clinched into the top of the frame 2| as shown in Figure 4 so as to provide a guide and retainer for the middle portion of the closure strip 25.

In the top portion of the frame 2| adjacent to the loop Si is clinched a prong 32 constituting one end of a spring wire. This prong merges downwardly into a coil 33 from which extends a spring arm 34 terminating in a loop 35. This loop, which embraces the guide 3!, is adapted to bear laterally against the closure strip 25 so as to hold the notched portion 3!] of said strip in engagement with one side of the retaining or guide loop 3| as shown particularly in Figures 1 and 4. Obviously with the closure strip thus pressed laterally into engagement with the intermediate guide loop 3|, said strip is prevented from being withdrawn longitudinally from position between the top panels. It can only be removed by first pressing it laterally against the action of the spring arm 34 so as to withdraw the notched portion 30 from engagement with the guide. With the strip thus shifted, it can be pulled or pushed longitudinally from the coop.

In practice the end units and the side units are separately constructed as are the top panels and the partition frame. If preferred the strips I and 2 can be made a part of the bottom unit,

these strips being fastened together at their nds and having the floor boards 4 attached to them. If the coop is made in this way, the parts of the different units are assembled after which the corner posts 3 and M are placed together and the ends of the strips I and 2 are secured thereto while the ends of the rails 6 and I6 are joined together and the ends of the rails I and I5 are also fastened together. The partition is secured in position by nailing and the top panels are then fastened on the side and end units, thus completing the assembly.

By providing spaces between the lower or intermediate rails of the end and side units and the bottom strips l and 2, the hands of a person carrying the coop can be inserted readily under the rails 6 or [6 so that the coop thus can be easily handled. Furthermore the spaces provided between the bottom strips and the intermediate rails permit the insertion of containers holding water.

What is claimed is:

In a poultry coop end panels each including upper and lower rails and a transverse partition frame. said coop having a longitudinal top opening extending across the partition frame and upper rails, retaining wires extending transversely within the opening above the upper rails and the partition, parallel legs formed with each wire, the legs of one wir being clinched within the partition and the legs of the other wires being clinched within the lower end rails, all of the legs being extended through and offset over the upper rails, an elongated flat closure above the top level of the top rails and removably seated in the opening and under the retaining wires between the offset legs of said wires, there :being a notch in one side edge of the closure, yielding means connected to the partition and protected by the crate, said means being located at all times in the crate and positioned for engaging the other side edge of the closure for holding the notched portion astride one leg of one of the retaining wires, and a loop at one end of said yielding means extending around and guided by one of the retaining Wires.

WILLIAM H. CRAMER. 

